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Saturday, June 20, 2015

EPLWA Round-Up - June 20

In Weeks 7 and 8 of the Evergreen Premier League season, the table has split in half as the top four are battling to either gain control at the top or stay in the race. Meanwhile, in the bottom half the four sides are working to avoid to avoid the bottom. WEEK 7 RECAP

Saturday, June 6

Spokane Shadow 0 :: 0 South Sound

Separated by a point at the top of the table a year ago and a goal in the season series, the two sides battled to the league's first-ever scoreless draw (80 games). Chris Kintz registered his third shutout of the year while Tony Watters recorded a pair of firsts with his starting debut and first clean sheet.

It was an unlucky day for the Hoppers. A handful of players got stuck on a ferry en route and arrived late. Plus, just six minutes into the match, an own goal put the hosts on the board and then Diego Aceves made it two three minutes later. Kyle Schoales made it three a minute before the break. Jesse Esquivel cut into the hole with a penalty in the 67th, but the Force pulled away with strikes from Miles Nilsen and Connor MacMillan in the 78th and 89th, respectively.

Borce Atanasov and Timur Zhividze went wild in Everett against the Stars. Zhividze set up the opening goal by Nate Cheney before scoring himself. He went on to add another assist to his tally for the day. Atanasov started his day off with the assist on Zhividze's strike and then added two more assists as well as a goal as they rolled to the win.

In the league's first-ever morning match (and first prior to 1:00 ever), the Shadow picked up its third consecutive shutout with Watters playing all but the final seven minutes. Karl Muelheims opened the scoring in the 25th and Chance Bukoski nodded in the second in the 35th. Anthony Mota put the match out of reach in the 83rd.

The Hammers grabbed the early lead just two minutes in, but they just could not make it last the rest of the contest. The hosts finally pulled even in the 70th with a goal from Eleazar Galvan, who added a second for insurance in the final minutes. Luis Garcia netted the winner in the 84th.

Tony Watters (Spokane Shadow) :: Posted nearly two complete shutouts on the road. He blanked the unbeaten South Sound Shock in a scoreless stalemate Saturday and then went 83 minutes in a 3-0 win at Olympic before being relieved.

Adrian Espinoza

WEEK 8 RECAP

Saturday, June 13

Vancouver Victory 0 :: 1 Wenatchee FC

The Capitals were able to hand the perfect league-leaders their first blemish of the season courtesy of an Adrian Espinoza strike in the fourth minute of the second half and a clean sheet from Mauricio Sanchez.

A week after a scoreless stalemate, the two sides played a completely different match as a cross-state rivalry is quickly heating up. Karl Muelheims scored twice in the first half on balls from Chance Bukoski for the hosts before the Shock responded. The visitors pulled one back before the break via Tyler John in the 34th.

Brady Ulen (R)

Forty seconds into the second half they evened things up with a strike from Brandon Madsen, but the Shadow reclaimed the advantage in the 51st through Zach Hamer. Madsen leveled matters again in the 63rd, but the Shadow used a penalty converted by Adam Talley in the 78th to go ahead again and grab the win.

The Hoppers grabbed the lead twice in the contest, but just could not hold onto it for the win. Junior Garcia's strike in the third minute was scratched out by Aleusey Gubark at the half hour mark for a even scoreline at the break. Hector Valdovinos put them back in front five minutes into the second half, but two minutes later the advantage was negated by Tony Clarke as the Stars put three unanswered on the board for the victory.

The hosts got on the board early with a goal from Zach Hansen, but Bellingham answered in the 34th via Lenny Kusina on a ball from Brendan Quilici. In the second half Olympic reclaimed the lead in the 63rd via Diego Aceves in the 63rd and added some insurance with five minute left courtesy of Miles Nilsen. Quilici would get a goal of his own for the Hammers a minute later, but it was not enough as Nilsen found Leo Potts to cap the game in the 90th.

Graham Davidson (Olympic Force) :: He set up both of Olympic's go-ahead goals in the match as the Force went on to register a 4-2 victory over visiting Bellingham.

Karl Muelheims (Spokane Shadow) :: Scored the opening two goals en route to a 4-3 victory over visiting and previously unbeaten South Sound.

Mauricio Sanchez (Wenatchee FC) :: Blanked the previously perfect Vancouver Victory in a 1-0 win that handed the visitors their first blemish of the season through eight games.

COMING UP IN WEEK 9

Saturday, June 20

Bellingham United @ Spokane Shadow - 7:00

It is the first meeting of the two on the season. Last year, the Hammers handed the Shadow a 2-1 loss in their home and season opener in Spokane, but were blanked 2-0 at home in the return contest.

Olympic Force @ South Sound - 7:00

South Sound won the first meeting between the two sides earlier this season, downing the Force 2-0 on the road in mid-May.

Sunday, June 21

Wenatchee FC @ Yakima United - 1:00

The two central Washington foes square off for the second time this season. Yakima will be looking to get their first positive result against the Capitals, who have beaten the Hoppers in all three previous meetings. Wenatchee narrowly took the first meeting this season in mid-May, 1-0, after more dominant results a year ago when they won 3-1 at home and 4-0 on the road.

Seattle Stars @ Vancouver Victory 5:00

Vancouver dominated on the road two weeks ago in their first meeting, posting a 6-1 victory against the Stars.